A scientific consultation meeting was organized on 15 December 2025 to firm up the field monitoring protocol for the assessment and conservation of small wild cats across select landscapes in India.

The consultation brought together experts, researchers, conservation practitioners, and partner institutions to deliberate on standardized methodologies for monitoring small wild cat species, including approaches related to field surveys, habitat assessment, camera trapping, and data management.

The meeting witnessed participation and technical inputs from key institutions including Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Wildlife Institute of India, WWF-India, International Big Cat Alliance, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, UNDP India, National Tiger Conservation Authority, along with representatives from Dudhwa Tiger Reserve and Pakke Tiger Reserve.

The consultation marked an important step towards strengthening a coordinated and science-based framework for monitoring and conserving small wild cats and their habitats across diverse landscapes in the country.